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This Week on Xbox: October 18, 2019

by Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor Posted on October 18, 2019October 19, 2019

We know you’re busy and might miss out on all the exciting things we’re talking about on Xbox Wire every week. If you’ve got a few minutes, we can help remedy that. We’ve pared down the past week’s news into one easy-to-digest article for all things Xbox! Or, if you’d rather watch than read, you can feast your eyes on our weekly video show above. Be sure to come back every Friday to find out what’s happening This Week on Xbox! The Division 2 Gets New Updates and Releases Episode 2 – Pentagon: The Last Castle The latest free update to hit The Division 2 is out now on Xbox One. Episode 2 – Pentagon: The Last Castle adds new missions that bring the fight for Washington,... Read more: This Week on Xbox: October 18, 2019

Prepare for a Galaxy-Spanning Adventure in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Coming to Xbox One November 15

by Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor Posted on October 17, 2019October 18, 2019

Never has it felt more satisfying to strike down a stormtrooper with a lightsaber. I mean, in a game of course. At a recent hands-on event to preview Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, we experienced just how well developer Respawn has captured not only the power of the saber and the Force, but the tremendous amount of world and character building they’ve accomplished here as well. With a compelling supporting cast of characters, visceral combat, massive worlds to explore, and a relatable hero, Jedi is shaping up to be the game to play this holiday season on Xbox One. You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned Combat in Jedi rewards you for using all of our hero Cal Kestis’ abilities and... Read more

Xbox and Taco Bell Partner for the Biggest Console Giveaway of the Year

by Will Tuttle, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief Posted on October 16, 2019October 18, 2019

Xbox and Taco Bell are teaming up for the third year in a row to give fans the chance to win the most craveable kit yet: an Xbox One X Eclipse Limited Edition Bundle. And with a winner every 10 minutes on average, this is also the largest Xbox console giveaway of the year. What do you need to do to win, you ask? All you have to do is enjoy a Double Chalupa Box* starting tomorrow, October 17, through November 23 and follow the instructions on the box, or the instructions received through the free method of entry process, to enter the code and instantly see if you win. All winners will receive their bundle within 48 hours of completing registration and receipt of verification – taco-bout... Read more

Games

All-New Heroes and Villains are Available Today in Gears 5

by Dana Sissons, Director of Communications, The Coalition Posted on October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

It’s been just over a month since Gears 5 celebrated its worldwide launch with Xbox Game Pass, and today we’re evolving your Gears 5 multiplayer experience with four new characters: the COG Gear, the DeeBee, the Warden and General RAAM, the ruthless Locust military leader. Every character added to Gears 5 will feature powerful multiplayer abilities to master. These new Heroes and Villains are available today and can be earned through gameplay or purchased in the in-game store. This update also brings two new characters from Terminator Dark Fate into Gears 5 multiplayer: Grace, featuring the voice of actress Mackenzie Davis, and the deadly new Terminator model Rev-9. Grace and Rev-9... Read more

Putting You in Control of Your Gaming Experience

by Dave McCarthy, Corporate Vice President, Xbox Operations Posted on October 14, 2019October 18, 2019

At Xbox, we are investing in building a positive gaming community. We believe that gaming should be inclusive and welcoming for everyone, which means creating experiences and communities that invite everyone to play safely and responsibly. Since we launched Xbox Live nearly two decades ago, we’ve been constantly learning and investing in new tools to make Xbox a welcoming and inclusive space to game. This includes creating Community Standards for Xbox, which complements our Code of Conduct and provides gamers the ability to report inappropriate behavior or content, being more transparent when enforcement has taken place so people who have been reported for inappropriate conduct have... Read more

Crusader Kings III is Coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC in 2020

by Henrik Fåhraeus, Game Director, Paradox Development Studio Posted on October 19, 2019October 18, 2019

Seven years ago, Paradox Interactive redefined grand strategy, emergent storytelling, and alternate history in one incredible game: Crusader Kings II. Today, seven years of expansions, surprises, and amazing stories later, we announced a worthy heir to the throne at PDXCON 2019: Crusader Kings III is coming in 2020. We can’t wait to share a new generation of grand strategy with players everywhere, and we have even more good news: if you’re on Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta) it’ll be included in your subscription. Crusader Kings III is the sequel to an all-time favorite title from Paradox Development Studio, offering players a realm of medieval conquest, intrigue, and high drama.... Read more

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Play Surviving the Aftermath on Xbox Game Preview Today

by Lasse Liljedahl, CEO and Lead Designer, Iceflake Studios Posted on October 19, 2019October 19, 2019

Hi, everyone! I know we shared some exciting news last week when we revealed the newest game in the “Surviving” series from Paradox. We mentioned that the game would be available to check out soon via Xbox Game Preview, but today I got to announce the crucial answer to the inevitable question of when: Surviving the Aftermath is available to play today as an Xbox Game Preview title on Xbox One. Xbox Game Preview lets us share this game with our fans much earlier than usual, which is going to be fantastic for a creative game like Surviving the Aftermath. Players have their work cut out for them in this post-apocalyptic survival game: yes, you’ll need to deal with crises at home,... Read more

Designing and Adapting Characters in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, Coming Soon to Xbox One

by David Whitfield, Product Manager, En Masse Entertainment Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Bringing characters into a game from an existing IP is always challenging, but when you’re dealing with a big and beloved world like "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance," it’s important not only to make them playable, but not to lose any of what makes them fan favorites! To really bring the characters in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics to life, the team at BonusXP went all-in on a job system. In tactics-based games, picking the right job for the challenge at hand can mean the difference between success and embarrassing failure. But picking the right job for your character can be even more critical. Apart from level creation, designing jobs and pairing them to... Read more

A Peek into the Creation of the Cinematic Platformer Stela, Releasing Today on Xbox One

by Joel Stack, Design Director, SkyBox Labs Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

I've been working on games for over 15 years and playing them non-stop since I was a little kid. My dad brought home my very first adventure game (Space Quest I if you're wondering) and I've been absolutely hooked ever since. I've always loved exploring game worlds, poking and prodding their corners, and satisfying that very human need for discovery and adventure - but hadn’t really had the opportunity to create one from scratch until Stela. Let me tell you a bit about the world we've created. Stela tells the story of a mysterious young heroine struggling to survive the haunting and hostile environments of a world suffering through its last breaths. It's an arduous journey and it's... Read more

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5 Survival Tips for Open World Adventure Stranded Sails – Explorers of the Cursed Islands, Available Now on Xbox One

by Roman Matuszczak, Art Director, Lemonbomb Entertainment Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Ahoy there adventurers! Now that Stranded Sails – Explorers of the Cursed Islands has arrived on Xbox One, get ready to set sail with five key survival tips for life in the open-world pirate adventure now that's available now on Xbox One. Build and manage your crews and maintain their happiness Alongside your crew, you begin Stranded Sails shipwrecked on a mysterious archipelago… As either the son or daughter of the injured captain of the ship, you’re tasked with finding the rest of your crew before you can eventually escape! To expand the camp, there will be a multitude of quests and tasks to make life on the island more manageable, from building new structures such as... Read more

Get Ready to Pig Out in Pig Eat Ball, Available Now on Xbox One

by Nathan Fouts, Designer, Pig Eat Ball Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Hey all, I’m Nathan Fouts, lead developer at Mommy’s Best Games, creators of Shoot 1UP and Serious Sam DD XXL for Xbox 360. Pig Eat Ball was my crazy idea—how to create an “arcade adventure”? I wanted to make something that felt like a series of arcade games, but linked together by an over world to explore with a fun story. It’s not super tough, but has a nice difficulty curve, just enough to tickle your brain parts; no rage quits. The gameplay twist is, "What if Pac-Man got larger while eating?" And… you’re on a giant space adventure across 200+ levels!? Plus the whole thing takes place on a Space Station Kingdom, there’s cupcake people to talk to, and a dastardly Dean... Read more

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for October 21 to 25

by Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox, where we cover all the new games coming soon to Xbox One! Every week the team at Xbox aims to deliver quality gaming content for you to enjoy on your favorite gaming console. To find out what’s coming soon to Xbox One, read on below and click on each of the game profiles for pre-order details (dates are subject to... Read more

Celebrate Halloween in Defiance 2050

by Helena Kühn, Product Manager, Defiance/Defiance 2050 Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Double, double toil and trouble, the Hulkers have returned to paradise! They bring with them a plague that has come to wipe out all Arkhunters. Get ready to put down these diseased plaguers and hulkers with extreme prejudice, or else you may become one of them! For four weeks, the Hulker Hell event will be active in Defiance 2050, bringing plague winds and nightmares. Major Arkfalls will run rampant with plaguers and hulkers, all trying to infect you with their deadly disease. Take some time out of your busy Arkhunting schedule to put these guys down once and for all. Now until November 11, log in and participate in Hulker Hell Major Arkfalls to get some crazy good rewards and loot.... Read more

The Inspiration Behind The Jackbox Party Pack 6

by Allard Laban, Chief Creative Officer of Jackbox Games Posted on October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

Athena sprung from the head of Zeus fully-formed. That’s rad. We wish we could say games emerged from our skulls in the same way, but it’s a much more complex, lengthy process. We thought it would be cool to share the inspiration behind our games, to shed some light on the initial ideas that grew into the fully-formed Party Pack 6 that we are thrilled to bring to Xbox One. The first thing we agreed upon this year was that we wanted to do a reboot of one of our most-loved games, Trivia Murder Party. And like any self-respecting sequel, it needed to be bigger, better, and even spookier. So we set Trivia Murder Party 2 in a haunted murder hotel. Our murderous host is back and this time... Read more

Dungeons & Dragons Classic RPGs Baldur’s Gate I & II, Planescape: Torment, and Icewind Dale Now Available on Xbox One

by Luke Rideout, Project Director, Beamdog Posted on October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

I wanted to start this post by saying thank you to everyone for your amazing support as we bring these venerable games to new platforms. The release of these titles represents the culmination of, in some cases, over 20 years of work building and improving these games. My team and I are honored to have the opportunity to bring these classics forward to a new generation of players. When Baldur's Gate was released 20 years ago from BioWare, it was a hugely ambitious game - especially for the young studio that BioWare was back in the late '90s, when no games studio had really successfully created a game of that scope before. From the perspective of a seasoned game designer and producer,... Read more

Halloween Update Adds Spooks and Scares to Black Desert on Xbox One

by Danny Park, Live Service Project Manager, Black Desert Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

This Halloween, the massive world of Black Desert on Xbox One is being invaded by magical forces that might give you a trick or a treat. New ghost and witch bosses offer the chance to win special items and craft new costumes - read on for more details about new Halloween content! Swarming high over the sands of the Black Desert, Spook is a new boss within today’s Halloween Update. Beware of sneak attacks at all times, since Spook enjoys spawning in random locations and times around the world to prey on unsuspecting adventurers. If you’re able to defeat him, Spook drops special items such as Black Fabric, Memory Fragment and Stabilized Magic Blackstone. Using ten pieces of Black... Read more

Games

Minecraft Earth Early Access!

Free Play Days – Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Age of Wonders: Planetfall, and Stellaris: Console Edition

by Vincent Wang, Product Marketing Manager, Xbox Posted on October 17, 2019October 16, 2019

This weekend, Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can play Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Age of Wonders: Planetfall, and Stellaris: Console Edition for free on Xbox One during this weekend’s Free Play Days! The Free Play Days event begins Thursday, October 17 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and runs through to Sunday, October 20 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. You can find and install the games here on Xbox.com. Click through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Live Gold membership. To download on console, click on the Gold member area on the home dashboard on your Xbox One. If you like what you’ve played and want to... Read more

Games

Raid the Fort of the Damned in October’s Free Sea of Thieves Content Update

by Joe Neate, Executive Producer at Rare Posted on October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

Get ready for Halloween with the free October content update for Sea of Thieves! Now live for all Sea of Thieves players with Xbox Game Pass, on Xbox One and on Windows 10 PC, Fort of the Damned encourages you to seek out a fearsome fortress and take on our most exciting Skeleton Fort challenge yet to earn huge rewards, including a guaranteed Chest of Legends. Things Get Spooky on the Seas with the Fort of the Damned Dark forces have seized Old Boot Fort, using ancient magic to bring forth an evil that transforms it into the Fort of the Damned, overrun with sinister Shadow of Fate Skeletons. Pirates must undertake Voyages to find Ritual Skulls, claim the Flames of Fate... Read more

Games

The Division 2 Gets New Updates and Releases Episode 2 – Pentagon: The Last Castle

by Mikel Reparaz, Editor at Ubisoft Posted on October 15, 2019October 15, 2019

The latest free update to hit The Division 2 is out now on Xbox One. Episode 2 – Pentagon: The Last Castle adds new missions that bring the fight for Washington, D.C. to the Pentagon, along with a raft of gameplay updates (including a new loot-targeting system), a new specialization for endgame players, and a Team Elimination PVP mode. Xbox Live Gold members can play The Division 2 for free this weekend, gameplay improvements and all, from October 17 through October 20. Here’s a look at what Episode 2 includes: New Missions Episode 2 takes you to the Pentagon, where the fight continues in solving the ongoing outbreak crisis in Washington D.C. As Agents, you’ll encounter two new... Read more

New Smite Update Brings Yemoja, Goddess of Rivers, to the Battleground

by Dishant “TitanClumzy” Samtani Posted on October 15, 2019October 14, 2019

Control the might of water and trap your foes between waves as Yemoja, Goddess of Rivers, in the newest Smite update, now available on Xbox One. Every river must have its beginning, and that beginning is Yemoja. The Goddess of the Ogun River is mother to the Yoruba pantheon, and from her floodwaters sprang the first mortals. She is the mistress of all rivers and the eternal guardian of the ancient mysteries of life itself. She cares deeply for all her children, be they mortal or god, comforting them and cleansing them of their sorrows. At Yemoja’s blessed touch, wounds are healed, and sickness is cured. But even her kindness has its limits, and should she be roused to anger, she... Read more